Outside Tap

[Spinny]

If I am drilling a hole in the wall for a feed to an outside tap, then should I be angling it downwards slightly as it runs from inside (higher) to outside (lower), so that it could be drained out to stop freezing in winter ?

 

(I have seen these Aquor home hydrant things which look good but they don't do one long enough for a 300mm wall with another 50mm of cladding https://www.aquorwatersystems.com/products/house-hydrant-v2-plus?srsltid=AfmBOoqHW00B92NDZHySy1ad2tzrfjrpZWj39xEvAQj6c5kSpvBN-Cse&variant=42444365955322)

[Russell griffiths]

Look for a frosty tap, will fit any width wall, drains to the outside like you describe. 
frosty might be spelt frosti have a google. 

[Onoff]

[Kelvin]

That’s a dear outside tap. 
 

I fitted one of these to our retaining wall piped from the garage rather than attached to the house. Bit more industrial looking especially given the 32mm MDPE is just clipped to the wall rather than the clean look you’re going for. I might eventually box it in but probably won’t. It’s frost resistant but I don’t trust any of them even the ones that claim to be frost proof so I shut the water off to it in the winter. 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/SHYNE/page/2A393583-03D4-4B3F-9164-5CD61D7831D0?lp_asin=B0CWPPPXRL&ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_ast_store_CFBWW5N3VZ2EC4JVYDEE&store_ref=bl_ast_dp_brandLogo_sto

Edited May 31, 2025 by Kelvin

[AartWessels]

It's hard to understand that there are apparently no WRAS approved frost free taps like the Schell Polar II or Kemper Frosti. 

I'm not from here originally, so I'm used to some different materials, though what could be wrong with products like that?

Backflow protection is included, they provide proper frost protection, make fitting the tap a breeze. 

[Alan Ambrose]

Plasson have an 'arctic' tap that's meant to handle cold weather. I've put in a bunch for temporary water.

 

[Spinny]

I have bought a Kemper Frosti Tap from the German Amazon site. 

(Not fitted yet)

[Spinny]

@Russell griffiths and all 

 

So I am cutting my Kemper Frosti tap down to the correct length.

On the instruction leaflet it implies that a black plastic piece can be slid over and down the inner valve rod in order to mark the correct cutting point for the valve rod.

However the black plastic piece does not seem to fit over the rod because the hole in the center is too small to slide over the rod.

 

Anyone else that has fitted a Kemper Frosti had this problem ?

[Russell griffiths]

@Nickfromwales one for you. 

[Nickfromwales]

18 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

@Nickfromwales one for you. 

Fitted a few of these but iirc I had to lengthen them for PH dwellings where the walls were thicker than the tap was long.

 

@Spinny, just put the black bit onto the tap without the bar, to see where it seats. Note the position of the face of the plastic bit.

 

Then put the bar in and put the black bit on the end.

 

Measure the two points, face when planted, and face when out too far, and that's the amount to cut off.

[Spinny]

 

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

put the black bit on the end

Not sure I follow because the black bit will not fit on the end of the rod and slide down it - as shown in this video...

Yes I can measure the length of the black bit (which is designed to to seat against the outside edge of the tap block), then mark the position of the outside edge of the tap block onto the rod, then measure down the rod by the length of the black bit.

Or I could widen the hole in the black bit so it will fit over the rod.

The measurement option is prone to measurement errors.

It seems odd that they would supply a thing to make sure you can measure the rod length precisely, but then not have it actually fit the rod. The rest of it all seems to go together very well and is carefully engineered. So makes you wonder a lot when something like that just doesn't fit.

There is a small chamfer on the end of the rod which fits the hole in the black bit, but it won't slide down beyond that. You can't achieve what is shown in the inset diagram labelled 3 or on the video.

I notice the valve end is spring loaded, so I suppose there is room for error perhaps, but getting the length spot on presumably maximises the spring compression and the strength of the seal.

[Nickfromwales]

Time to push a bit harder?

As long as it still has friction, it'll still function as a marker. It's disposable after that?

[Spinny]

@Nickfromwales

Also any other tips from your experience of fitting them, in particular...

(a) Wondering what the main tube is made of. It looks quite thickish and when I ran a junior hacksaw across it (admittedly probably a blunt blade) I couldn't even mark it. Planning to get the plasterer/carpenter guy to machine cut it to the length I mark for me, but not sure what blade it might require.

(b) The instructions show fitting the 90 degree pipe bend fitting onto the inside end before fitting the outside tap end. So do I defo need to do this first - I am guessing maybe trying to tighten the 90 degree fitting would be tricky if done last as the tap end will want to rotate ?

(c) Thinking of using a 90 degree isolating valve on the inside end, and probably another one further along the pipe for ease of access as the inside end will be hidden behind kitchen appliances so rather inaccessible.

(c) Any issues when tightening up the outside against a vertical surface given the tube runs at a slight downward angle ?

 

[Spinny]

17 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Time to push a bit harder?

It would have to be hammer time.

I think it would be better to drill or twist out the hole very slightly TBH.

What are those German's up to though ?

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, Spinny said:

@Nickfromwales

Also any other tips from your experience of fitting them, in particular...

(a) Wondering what the main tube is made of. It looks quite thickish and when I ran a junior hacksaw across it (admittedly probably a blunt blade) I couldn't even mark it. Planning to get the plasterer/carpenter guy to machine cut it to the length I mark for me, but not sure what blade it might require.

(b) The instructions show fitting the 90 degree pipe bend fitting onto the inside end before fitting the outside tap end. So do I defo need to do this first - I am guessing maybe trying to tighten the 90 degree fitting would be tricky if done last as the tap end will want to rotate ?

(c) Thinking of using a 90 degree isolating valve on the inside end, and probably another one further along the pipe for ease of access as the inside end will be hidden behind kitchen appliances so rather inaccessible.

(c) Any issues when tightening up the outside against a vertical surface given the tube runs at a slight downward angle ?

 

Exactly what kit did you buy? Do you have a link to it?

 

[Nickfromwales]

44 minutes ago, Spinny said:

What are those German's up to though ?

Shhhhh.................

 

They could be listening.....

[Nickfromwales]

44 minutes ago, Spinny said:

It would have to be hammer time.

Apparently, if you move like this, the tap will more or less fit itself.  

 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

If you video yourself doing that, step by step, I'll come and fit the (expletive deleted)er myself for free  

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, Spinny said:

(a) Wondering what the main tube is made of. It looks quite thickish and when I ran a junior hacksaw across it (admittedly probably a blunt blade) I couldn't even mark it. Planning to get the plasterer/carpenter guy to machine cut it to the length I mark for me, but not sure what blade it might require.

(b) The instructions show fitting the 90 degree pipe bend fitting onto the inside end before fitting the outside tap end. So do I defo need to do this first - I am guessing maybe trying to tighten the 90 degree fitting would be tricky if done last as the tap end will want to rotate ?

(c) Thinking of using a 90 degree isolating valve on the inside end, and probably another one further along the pipe for ease of access as the inside end will be hidden behind kitchen appliances so rather inaccessible.

(c) Any issues when tightening up the outside against a vertical surface given the tube runs at a slight downward angle ?

 

I can tell you're unnerved, as you forgot that D comes after C, awwww.....bless.

 

a) Its solid brass, so you need to argue with your wife over something utterly trivial, for a minimum period of 30 mins, then go cut it with a hacksaw with a 32tpi blade.

 

b) use a Hep2o fitting which will allow rotation and be bombproof. Need to see the link to advise further.

 

c1) one isolator is sufficient. 2 is greedy. Put this anywhere where you can get to it.

 

c2) (the rest of us call this a "D"  ) as per the video, turn the nut so the belled end goes into the plate, and that then acts like a universal joint so the plate finishes flat and vertical.

 

Remember from a health and safety POV, when you've cut through the thick brass the blade of the hacksaw will be VERY VERY hot, so turn to your missus and say "Can't touch this".

 

Safety first  

[Spinny]

This is the kit I bought from Amazon Germany...Frosti Tap

Photo attached.

I now notice the box says it is made of gunmetal - which appears to be a type of bronze or 'red brass' which can be used for canons.

 

(Tempting as it might be to hammer dance, I fear it's effect on my joints. And the last time I danced a Conga a 'friend' posted it on tinternet. My spouse was once my dance teacher though.)

 

16 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

awwww.....bless

Hey I'm not in the old people's home yet - pardon.

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, Spinny said:

This is the kit I bought from Amazon Germany...Frosti Tap

Photo attached.

I now notice the box says it is made of gunmetal - which appears to be a type of bronze or 'red brass' which can be used for canons.

 

(Tempting as it might be to hammer dance, I fear it's effect on my joints. And the last time I danced a Conga a 'friend' posted it on tinternet. My spouse was once my dance teacher though.)

 

Hey I'm not in the old people's home yet - pardon.

 

 

The exact same one I fitted in Leicester. 
 

IIRC I used a threaded fitting from hep2o, and PTFE taped it onto the threads of the Frosti. I had to use that to lengthen the tap though. 
 

Are you going to need to have an angled fitting immediately on the end of the tap to connect it flush to the wall? 

[Spinny]

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

Are you going to need to have an angled fitting immediately on the end of the tap to connect it flush to the wall? 

Yes. It is coming through the wall behind a built in kitchen appliance, so needs to run down the wall before making another turn to run along behind the kitchen plinths.

 

(I am presuming there is no need for the pipe 'circuit' they show)

instruction drawings also show a swept 90 bend, but presumably no real need for that. (mains pressure 3.5 bar and 37l/min)